BOISE, Idaho — A 61-year-old Boise man was convicted of soliciting the kidnapping and/or murder of a 7-year-old girl on Friday. The conviction is in relation to a 2019 incident involving lewd conduct with the 7-year-old girl.
In addition to the soliciting murder charge, Byron Ely was also found guilty of lewd conduct with a child under 16 by a different jury in March 2021.
Ely was indicted on one count of lewd conduct with a minor in July 2019 after an incident in March 2019 during which he had sexual contact with the 7-year-old girl.
About one month before his initial trial, Ely attempted to hire someone to kidnap and/or murder the girl he was accused of abusing. The person Ely tried to hire reported the solicitation to the Boise Police Department, and after an investigation, Ely was arrested in February 2020.
Ely's sentencing for lewd conduct with a minor is set for 3 p.m. on May 11, 2021, and his sentencing for criminal solicitation is set to take place at 9 a.m. on July 7, 2021.
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